Recently, I opened my big fat mouth to say I was finally watching Breaking Bad and just like that someone spilled the beans about the ending. I was heartbroken-- my weeks of binge watching and dodging spoilers for the last few years boiled down to this one moment in time when the plot all of a sudden came to a conclusion.
I decided to look into the reasons people spoil endings to shows or the latest box office hit and wanted to turn to my new community on steemit to discuss...
This is a sort of phenomenon that is linked to social media use and the instant gratification one receives by being a part of a larger conversation. Twitter's main purpose is to be a part of a live conversation through use of the hashtag, but on every site on the web I find loose lipped people just bursting at the seams with key plot points. It's not enough anymore to just avoid social media while the show is airing or the day after, throughout the week people are discussing theories, promoting new tshirts or paraphernalia showing the spoilers right on them.
I just can't wrap my head around posting so and so died, the end. So why do they do it?
I'm sure there's a small group that find sick twisted pleasure in spilling the beans, but the rest of you?
Is it that important for everyone to know you may or may not be experiencing something along with them?
I believe people do this because they relate to the show and they want to chime in and be apart of the community and conversations surrounding it, unfortunately it comes with a price for those who haven't seen it. While I see both sides of the coin, I'm curious for a solution to avoid spoilers.
I did a bit of research with mixed opinions-- some saying spoilers actually are enhancers, it allows the viewers to focus on the details that matter if they know what to expect. Interesting way of putting it.
They say in the case of live events like sporting events or American Idol, the content is dead after it airs. It is a live event, you are expected to participate in. I remember my father driving home to watch the big game he recorded on the VCR, if someone would have told him the score it would be your ass.
Having lived in different time zones in the US and now living in New Zealand, if I do not watch my favorite show at the same time as everyone else, I might as well take a hiatus from the Internet until I do. I find that the only way to avoid spoilers is to avoid the web all together. (and possibly never talk to your friends again and live under a rock) I love Game of Thrones, so I find a way to stop what I am doing at 1pm every Monday to watch the show-- so I don't miss the surprise element that the show is so well known for.
With TV viewership moving from broadcasting networks to a more streaming services, I assume I am not alone in dodging sites and plugging my ears whenever I hear someone bring up a show I haven't seen.
Additionally, is there a statue of limitations on spoiling a show or movie? The last Breaking Bad aired in 2013, some of you might believe I deserved to find out the ending, I should have seen it before now.. Should you just give away the ending the Sixth Sense so freely just because it came out so long ago?
I've accidentally spoiled once. Otherwise, I am a steel trap.. I encourage others to watch it themselves. So, here's my question for you Steemit-- do spoilers ruin it for you? or do they intrigue you enough to find out the details so you must go turn on the show? how do you avoid spoilers?
and of course, please no spoilers!
Fortunately I have such a bad memory when it comes to movies and tv that even if I do pick up a spoiler somewhere, I tend to forget what it was exactly. A side benefit of this forgetfulness is that I can enjoy a movie many times as it were the first time. : )
I honestly have not run into many spoilers but that is probably because of the type of information i'm generally in contact with.
Someone should start a site for spoiler therapy maybe. Where the user is just inundated with all kinds of plausible but false spoilers related to the show you think may have been spoiled for you. That way you'd have so many different possibilities on what might be the real spoil that you could watch it and still not be sure, and be surprised perhaps. : ) IDK
I like the idea of flooding the internet with fake spoilers. I actually was fake spoiled once.. I saw a comment "I can't believe so and so died" I sadly began watching the show and he never died. That was a relief. Or the idea of having a forum where you go and talk about the show with people wanting to talk about it.. but now in current situation it seems that not only are users spoiling but in fact news sites and apps can't wait to talk about the shows either!! Thanks for the comment
Wait, Darth Vader is Luke's father!? And I was just going to start watching Empire Strikes Back. You promised no spoilers!
Just kidding, of course.
As my example above shows, I think there has to be, at least when it comes to making casual references on public discussion forums. But if someone finds out the person they are talking to hasn't seen a show or movie and then intentionally decide to spoil it for them... well that's just an ass move.
Yes true, I was wondering if someone would call me out on it.. but the gif was tooooooo good! hahaha. Yes I only watched star wars recently for the first time.. hello late to the party. but one thing I've heard just in pop culture all my life "luke, i am your father" I had no idea it was the biggest spoiler of them all. I guess the only way to avoid spoilers is watching early. But like I mentioned as well maybe knowing who darth vadar was maybe enhanced my watching of the series?